One By One
by pansfinalfantasies
Summary: Zell is constently running from the one that got his friends. But now that they are gone, he's the only one left and is determined to find out who is behind this.
1. Target: Me

Disclaimer:Although I wish I did, I do NOT own ff8 or any of the series. They are the property of Squaresoft....  
  
AN: Turns out the test for science is next week...well the La test was quite simple. Why wouldn't it be? The topic is Harry Potter!! LOL!  
  
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The senery was blurred ahead of him. Zell stopped in the middle of the forest to catch his breath.  
  
Where am I?  
  
Heh.  
  
Does that even matter?  
  
He slowly removed his gloves, reveiling his fists, both covered in blood. Lowering his hands to his pants, Zell wiped the blood off of them.  
  
Squall...  
  
Rinoa...  
  
Selphy...  
  
Quistis...  
  
Irvine...  
  
...All gone...  
  
He swollowed hard, trying to forget, but didn't suceed. Irvine was the first to go. Then one by one, the others followed, all dropping like flies. Zell remembered the root of his problems as he pulled a silver bullet out of his pockets.  
  
*FLASHBACK*  
  
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He jogged excited towards the cafateria. They were, of course, serving hotdogs for the next half an hour, Zell was sure he couldn't miss it. He passed a couple of chatting students catching words like "shot" and "nurse" but stopped in his tracks after some one mentioned Irvine. That was when he decided to listen closely.  
  
"That's sad..."  
  
"I wonder if his okay, I mean after being shot through the heart that is."  
  
"Dunno, no ones found the guy who did it."  
  
"What's his name again?"  
  
"Irwin or something, I don't know his last name." Hearing the slight incorrection, Zell cut in, anxious to make sure that it wasn't his friend they were talking about.  
  
"Are you sure his name wasn't Irvine Kinneas?" A boy in group sratched his head.  
  
"Yea-yeah, that's right. How'd you know?" Zell rudely bolted to the nurses room where he was shocked to find all his friends there, minus the exception of Irvine. They were seated in neatly lined-up benches, all of them had their heads hung low. Rinoa was the first to acknowledge his presence.  
  
"Zell..." She managed to choke out.  
  
"Rinoa! What happened? Why are you all here? Where's Irvine? Isn't he with you?" He blurted out, without thinking. Rinoa, who didn't know which question to answer first just motions to a closed mahogany door. Getting the point, Zell walked to it and slowly pushed it open. But a nurse stood in his way, not allowing him to enter.  
  
"I'm sorry young man but this area is restricted." Before Zell could argue with her, She shoved a miniture red box into his hands. "Please do me favor and deliver this to Cid." And with that, she slammed the door into his face.  
  
He settled down beside the rest of his friends to hear an announcement being broadcast over the loudspeakers located everywhere inside the building.  
  
"It has come to our attention that a fellow student had been shot previousely this day. He had recently passed away and we would like to dedicate this moment to Irvine Kinneas." There were some scretching sounds and then silence. At that moment, Zell Dincht forgot all about eating hotdogs.  
  
***  
  
It was Irvine's funeral and everybody showed up. Each person took their turn to say something. Zell shoved his hands down his pockets and felt something. He quickly pulled them out and stared at tha same little red box he was given on the day of his friend death. Eager to find what it contained, he furiously tore it up, finding a tiny silver bullet where the box used to be.  
  
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*END FLASHBACK*  
  
If time could be turned back...  
  
...I could of saved them all.  
  
Zell put the bullet back in its place as he heard footsteps coming near him.  
  
No..not again....  
  
This time he's after me.  
  
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AN: sorry for any mix ups. Anyways, review! 


	2. Something That She Knew

He's after me...  
  
No where to run...  
  
Zell staggered toward a fallen tree trunk for protection. He clamped his eyes shut, hopeful that he wouldn't get caught so easily. Giving up after a few troublesome steps, Zell settled down inside an old hollow tree. He paused, silence was all he heard. Nearby, a sudden rumbling noise intruded in his territory, which Zell guessed was footsteps. His footsteps.  
  
"I know where you are..." The voice seemed unusually familair but Zell couldn't tell where he had heard it.  
  
"Come out, come out where ever you are..." The disembodied voice droned on, finally disappearing as the figure walked deeper into the woods. Zell felt himself shiver. He was glad he did, once for all proving he wasn't dead - yet. Worst of all, it wasn't the cold what made him shiver; Zell knew he was afraid. He felt powerless against his new foe, who ever it was. If the enemy managed to kill Squall without having to put up much of a fight, then he'd stand no chance considering the fact that he was much weaker and inexperienced. No chance but to run. As fast as his srawny legs can carry him, where ever they led him, he would go without a doubt. There was no time for life anymore in his schedule, even if he had minute of spare time it would be wasted on double checking every other place for hazards.  
  
His life made no sense, he didn't even know why he still wanted to stay alive. For revenge maybe? Who in their right mind would be this crazy? First he'll have to find out the person behind all this. Zell gentally massaged his temples and thought back to led up to something he knew he had to remember.  
  
*FLASHBACK*  
  
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"You should leave her alone, she's still a bit shook up from, well, you know..." Selphy made a simple gesture with her hand.  
  
"C'mon! I just gotta ask her a question! Zell complained.  
  
"Well, sor-ry!" With that last statement, Selphy pouted and stomped off. Zell shook his head and lightly tapped on the door. No answer. He slowly pushed it open only to find a pale-faced Rinoa sitting by herself on her bed, all huddled up.  
  
"Yo, sup?" Rinoa tilted her head to the visitor.  
  
"Zell...I saw him.." She replied, looking terrified.  
  
"What? Saw who?"  
  
"Him..."  
  
"WHO?!?"  
  
"He killed Irvine..." Zell froze in his tracks.  
  
"You- you saw the guy who did that to Irvine?" Rinoa nodded.  
  
"Wait here while I go get the others." Zell rushed out of the door, not bothering to listen to Rinoa's last sentence.  
  
"...and he's watching me..."  
  
***  
  
Zell half jogged, half ran to the library, lucky to find Quistis and Selphy studying a few papers in their hands on a nearby table.  
  
"Rinoa..she..knows...who killed...IRVINE!" Zell managed to spit the last word out. The girls looked at eachother and then back at Zell before the trio dashed out of the library to Rinoa's room.  
  
Quistis twisted the doornob and stepped into the room. Cold air floated above every inch of their bodies. Something was missing. Where was Squall when you needed him? No one caught sight of him all day. Zell felt something under his feet that glued him to the floor. The stuff was sticky, but warm. He dropped his head to look at his feet but almost fainted doing so. There was a large puddle of what he recognized as blood on the tiled floor. He frowned. He didn't remember it being there before. Zell wiped the dried blood onto clean ground and ventured further into the room. Quistis and Selphy followed behind him, lingering for protection.  
  
"Rinoa?" He called out. Nothing. The three turned the corner and was met by an ugly sight. Rinoa was hung to the ceiling with sturdy rope. Black blood dripped down from her slit neck. Rinoa Heartilly was dead. Realizing the recent turn of events, the girls let out an ear-peircing scream.  
  
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*END FLASHBACK*  
  
Zell yawned. Thinking so hard was making him tired so fast. Rinoa positively knew something. But now the she's dead, the information she had collected has been wasted. His eyes got heavy. He could feel somebody's presence as he drifted off to sleep. 


End file.
